The invention relates generally to sensors and more specifically concerns a miniature electro-optical flow-direction and airspeed sensor for use on airplanes and remote-controlled models in stability research.
Miniature sensors are needed for rapid and uncomplicated installation on light airplanes engaged in stability research programs. Often, these airplanes are available only for a short time so that preparing and modifying the structure for incorporation of the instrumentation is impossible. Sensors that can be installed by a simple adhesion to a wing, or other surface, often remote from the cabin, are therefore desired. The sensors must be small but at the same time rugged enough to operate reliably in the flight environment. One particularly difficult sensor to miniaturize to this degree has been a flow angle and velocity sensor for measuring the local flow ahead of a wing. A previously developed sensor (Miniature Flow-Direction and Airspeed Sensor for Airplanes and Radio-Controlled Models in Spin Research, NASA TP 1467, May 1979) has been used extensively on a number of government owned airplanes and remote controlled models but because of its large size and complexity, safety considerations require that the sensor be attached to the basic aircraft structure with bolts. This sensor is readily installed on government owned airplanes; but a wider sample of statistical data could be obtained if rented airplanes or airplanes made available by their owners free of charge for short periods of time could be instrumented and tested.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a miniature flow-direction and airspeed sensor that can be easily and temporarily attached to an aircraft.
Another oject of this invention is to provide a flow-direction and airspeed sensor that eliminates slip rings and the need for electrical leads through moving parts.
A further object of this invention is to provide a flow-direction and airspeed sensor in which the ranges of the phenomena sensed are extremely large.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive flow-direction and airspeed sensor for use on aircraft.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent hereinafter in the specification and drawings.